Police reform still a long way off: Analysts

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three years after separating from the Indonesian Military (TNI), the police have yet to reform themselves by getting rid of bad habits such as corruption and the use of violence in dealing with the public.

A criminologist from the University of Indonesia (UI), Adrianus Meliala, said on Monday that it was still questionable whether the police were trying to become a professional police force.

"We cannot say they are not trying to curb corruption, violence and ineffective working habits, but we have to ask whether they have tried hard enough" Adrianus told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The police separated from the TNI in 2001 in a bid to improve their professionalism and shed militaristic tendencies in dealing with the public. Now, the police are directly responsible to the President.

Adrianus said the new structure offered the police force all the basic resources and privileges to improve themselves.

"But the privileges cannot resolve the problems if they are not willing to give up their bad habits," Adrianus said.

Meanwhile, rights campaigner Hendardi from the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) said despite the positive steps forward the police had taken, some things needed to be changed.

"The way police handle protesters is something that they need to address. As civilian guards, they should learn more about human rights," Hendardi said when asked to comment on reform within the police.

The police force will celebrate its 57th anniversary on Tuesday, the third after being separated from the TNI in 2001.

Despite the separation, the public remain distrustful of the police as corruption and abuses continue.

Cases such as the attack on Tempo magazine office and editors by a group of hoodlums damaged the police's image as they failed to stop the violence.

Adrianus said the police should improve their professionalism, especially in establishing a solid framework, in order to sustain their internal reform.

"They should have a solid platform to ensure professionalism and independence from any political interests," he said.